Trndez is an ancient Zoroastrian holiday in Armenia that commemorates the arrival of spring and new beginnings through jumping over a fire. Tracing back to pagan origins, its name—originally Derendez—translates to “a bundle of hay in front of your house.” We wanted to celebrate Trndez in a new way and also find out how it can be integrated into our lives.

Prompt: Light a fire. Interpret fire however you would like. Jump over it. Interpret jump however you would like. Assemble an altar to call in spring. This can include anything from ancestral objects, found things, plant matter, food, scraps of favorite writings, offerings for Artsakh, etc. Sit down with your fire and your altar and write a poem for spring. Interpret a poem however you would like.